Midsummer Night's Happenings or To Tell The Truth
by memarkw
Summary: Is Willow really Willow? Just who really ended up in that trophy? What does Faith have to do with it? Stay tuned...
1. Ponderings

Note: A while back, I proposed an idea to the list  
concerning a round robin - the chain writing of a story.   
Someone writes a part and hands it off to the next one to  
take over, going where they will with the story. Six  
people responded. The only rule was that supernatural  
powers not be used to reverse anything that a writer made  
happen earlier. What you are about to read is pretty much  
as each author wrote it, with no changes other than  
grammar or spelling. We hope you enjoy reading it as much  
as we enjoyed writing it!  
  
  
Title: A Midsummer Night's Happening or To Tell The Truth  
  
Author(s): memarkw, MeB, AngelBev, Starr, Stephanie (aka  
lurking_angel), GemTombs, and Peter Dickenson  
  
Summary: Faith is back in town with a shocking secret  
concerning Willow.  
  
Spoiler: Takes place during season 6, although the only  
spoiler concerns a cheerleader and a trophy from season  
one.  
  
Disclaimer: With the exception of the story idea, the  
characters and locations belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant  
Inc, WB, Fox, and any others I may be forgetting. We gain  
no profit what-so-ever!  
  
-----------------------------------------  
Chapter One - Ponderings  
  
Buffy laid down on her bed and let out a sigh. Who  
knew that flipping burgers would be so much tougher than  
slaying? The grease and the smell lingered much worse than  
the dust from the vamps.   
  
She rolled over and started going through the mail.  
Electric bill, gas bill, disconnect notice, ad, doctor  
bill, Faith, TV Guide, phone bill...Faith?   
  
She put her fingernail under the flap and tore it  
open. She unfolded the single sheet of paper and started  
reading...   
  
  
  
Hey B,   
  
I won't blame you if you toss this out without reading  
it. I could go on about what life is like here and how I  
have changed and how is everyone in SunnyD, but I will cut  
to the chase. I am getting out in a few days-   
  
  
  
Buffy looked at the date on the note. It was written  
just two days ago. Postmarked yesterday. She kept reading.  
  
  
  
  
-and I need a place to go. I don't really have a home,  
but SD is the closest that I do have. Angel has said that  
he wants me to come work with him, but I just can't  
imagine working everyday with Cordelia... No, I feel like  
I owe something to SD and you. I guess what I am asking  
is, can I come and work with you? If you say no, I won't  
come. I'll understand. I'm still me. I'm still the same  
person I was when I left. A part of me has changed, but  
the only way to explain it to you is for you to see it  
yourself. I truly am sorry for everything. Not everything,  
not for getting to know you and the family, but for all  
the wrong that I did. So, please, let me know something.   
  
  
  
Faith   
  
  
  
  
  
She wanted to come back here? Why? What good could it  
do? Angel had said that Faith was really repentant, that  
she deserved a chance to prove it. Buffy hadn't expected  
this, though.   
  
She couldn't worry about it right now. She had  
slaying to do. She got off the bed and undressed. Heading  
for the shower, her mind kept going back to the letter.  
When she was clean and dressed again, she talked to Dawn,  
without mentioning the letter, and headed out on patrol.   
  
How much longer was this going to last? She was a  
slayer. The oldest acting slayer as far as she knew. That  
wasn't true. Technically, she wasn't THE slayer. Faith was  
THE slayer. Buffy was just a substitute. A damned good one  
if she said so herself. Still, when was her life going to  
be normal?   
  
She turned around and tossed a stake through the dead  
heart of the vampire that was trying to sneak up on her.  
Should she write Faith back and say not to come? Sunnydale  
didn't need two slayers. Well, they might if the one in  
town wasn't as good as she was, or if she didn't have her  
friends to help. She just didn't get it. With so much  
going on in the world, 9/11, the war, why did the  
Sunnydale universe seem to revolve around her?   
  
Most of these people didn't even know who she was or  
what she was doing all these nights. She looked at the old  
couple who lived across the street from her. They sat on  
the porch as she passed and waved at her. Who would have  
known that a screened-in porch counted as being in the  
house? She remembered when Angel had tried to go to the  
front door of that house to ask if they'd seen Dawn. He'd  
been shocked to find he couldn't get to the front door,  
that the screen porch door was THE door.   
  
She waved back. As long as they stayed on their  
porch, she didn't have to worry about them. It was like  
they were just there for their nightly show.   
  
As Buffy turned the corner, she reached over and   
pulled a Ghilernt demon out of the shadows and snapped  
it's neck. As it melted into oblivion, she thought back to  
when she and Faith had patrolled together, before Faith  
lost it. It had been fun. Back then, she felt like there  
was a purpose to what she was doing. Would she feel that  
way again if she had someone to share it with? Someone who  
really understood what it was to be a slayer?   
  
Damn Giles! He should never have left. Why should she  
have to make these decisions? She was a college  
girl...well, should be a college girl, but she couldn't  
even do that because of slaying and the Double Meat  
Palace. If only Giles was here...   
  
She made her way past the halfway point of her   
normal route. She noticed some movement in the shadows  
behind the Bronze and went to investigate. Stake in hand,  
she surprised the source of the movement.   
  
"Buffy! God, don't do that! You scared the crap   
out of me."   
  
"Xander? What are you doing back here? Are you   
nuts?"   
  
"I lost my wallet. I think I left it on a table   
earlier, but they haven't seen it. I'm hoping it just got  
tossed out, that no one took it."   
  
"Xander? Come on...It's gone. Count your losses   
and move on." It felt good to make a joke.   
  
"Oh, there aren't really any losses. I haven't   
cashed my check yet, so there's no money in it. All that's  
really in it is my license and some pictures of you guys.  
I just hate to lose it. I've had it forever...sentimental  
attachment I guess. Anyway,   
what's up? You seem a little distracted."   
  
"I do? Yeah, I guess I am. I got a letter from   
Faith today. Duck."   
  
Xander quickly touched the ground. As Buffy   
withdrew the stake from the undead thing that was no  
longer there, he stood back up. "What did the big   
bad bitch have to say?"   
  
"Be nice now... She asked me if she could come   
back here."   
  
"Won't she be like forty or something?"   
  
"No. She's getting out this week for some reason. Who  
knows? Wouldn't surprise me if the council had something  
to do with it. I just don't know what to do about it. I  
mean it's a free country."   
  
"Yeah, but this town is yours. It wouldn't be a   
free town if it wasn't for the Slayer. I say tell her no.   
Not just no, but hell no. Let her go to Dead Boy."   
  
"Xander, be NICE! It's not easy. I don't think we  
would have made it through the Ascension if it hadn't been  
for Faith. Angel did say that Faith wanted to pay for  
what she had done."   
  
"Well, it's your choice. I just hope she doesn't   
expect to hop back into my bed. Anya would go all  
vengeance demony in a heartbeat if that happened."   
  
"BACK into your bed?"   
  
"Never mind. There's Anya, I gotta go. You done?   
We can give you a ride home."   
  
"No. I need to think. I'll see you guys tomorrow."   
  
She turned and walked away. If her closest friends  
didn't want Faith back, what was she going to do? She had  
to think about them. Making her way home, she dropped two  
more creatures. It never dawned on her that she was  
killing creatures of the night. It had just become second   
nature to her. When she started this job...no, this   
duty...she had felt some sort of disgust, or remorse for  
the people that these things use to be, but now there was  
nothing. What a world this had become. If someone had  
told her then, years ago, that she would have had sex with  
two vampires by 22, and killed hundreds or thousands  
more, she would have laughed in their face and made fun of  
their clothes.   
  
"My, how the world has changed," she thought to   
herself. She let herself into the house, careful not to   
wake Dawn up. She showered again and put on her  
nightshirt. She walked past Dawn's room, not noticing  
that there was no sound of snoring. The phone started  
ringing, and she hurried to answer it.   
  
"Hello?"   
  
"Buff-Buffy! They t-t-took her! They came in and   
grab-grabbed her!"   
  
"Tara? Calm down. Talk to me, honey. What happened?  
Are you talking about Willow? I thought you were watching  
your parent's house this weekend. Who took her?"   
  
"I don't kn-know. She st-st-stopped by to talk about  
... things, and we wound up staying up late and  
watch-watching Craig Kilborne, and then she suddenly sat  
up and said Dawn's name. That's when someone kicked open  
the bedroom door and pointed guns at us. At us. I  
c-c-couldn't move B-b-buffy. Oh gods, what am I going to  
do?"   
  
"Tara? Stay right there. I'm going to send Xander  
over there to get you. He's closer than I am. I'll meet  
you at his place."   
  
She started getting dressed again. Someone took   
Willow? Someone would pay then. Wait! What had she said  
about Dawn?  
  
Dawn! She wasn't snoring!   
  
"Dawn!" Buffy yelled and sprinted towards her  
sister's room. She threw open the door and knew that her  
sister wasn't there. The bed sheets were on the floor,  
and the curtain was hanging askew. The window was open.  
There had been some sort of struggle. Oh yeah, someone was  
going to pay. She ran out the front door of her   
house, knowing in her heart that it was going to be OK   
and that, again, someone was going to pay.   
  
  
# 


	2. Night of the Trophy

Chapter Two - Night of the Trophy  
  
  
"Oh, bloody hell!" Spike was beside himself with   
worry, fear--yes, fear!--and a great deal of anxiety.  
"What the bloody hell do you think you   
were doing?! Do you have any idea what you just did?"   
  
"I had no choice."   
  
"Oh, you had no choice, did you? Do you think we   
have any other choice now but to run like bloody hell?!"   
  
The woman with the black hair shook her head. "We  
can't run, Spike. That just isn't an option."   
  
Spike shook his head. "Oh, you are one daft bitch,  
I'll tell you that much. If you think I'm going to stay  
here waiting for the Slayer to come a knockin'...you're  
bloody crazy!" He turned his head to regard the two young   
ladies chained to the cavern wall behind him. "She's going  
to kill us."   
  
"Spike, d-don't listen to her," Willow pleaded.   
"If you let us go, we--"   
  
Faith shook her head and snapped her fingers. "Hey.  
Be quiet, Red. This is for your own good." She pulled  
something out of a pack she had brought with her. It  
looked like a statue.   
  
Spike looked at it curiously. Willow and Dawn  
couldn't see it because Spike was in the way. "Buffy's  
going to be so pissed," he told Faith.   
  
Faith shook her head. "No...she won't be. Not if  
we're successful here. That's why the Watcher's Council  
made it look like a kidnapping . Send in a few guys with  
guns and Buffy'll be looking elsewhere. At least for a  
while."   
  
"What exactly is that thing?" Spike asked her. "It  
looks like a trophy."   
  
Faith nodded as she carried the trophy toward   
Willow. "It is a trophy."   
  
She held back her feelings as she looked at Willow.  
"It's where Katherine Madison was sent when she tried to  
send Buffy into a different plane of existence.  
Only...only somehow, Katherine wasn't sent there." She   
looked into Willow's eyes. "Willow was."   
  
Dawn looked at her with confusion. "What are you   
saying? Spike? What is she talking about?"   
  
Spike shook his head. "I don't know, pet." He watched  
Faith carefully. "Are you telling me that Willow  
Rosenberg is inside that trophy...and some other person  
named Katherine Madison has been living inside of Willow's  
pretty little body?"   
  
Faith nodded. "Since the tenth grade. Willow   
was 15." Faith regarded Willow now, and Willow was angry.  
Her face was in a deep scowl. "The binding spell will  
hold. I have the Watcher's Council to thank for that.   
They've been watching Willow for a long time now."   
  
She put the trophy in the young woman's face. "But  
it's time to switch them back now. Make things right." She  
began to speak in Latin. Faith had been empowered to do  
this by the Council. She spoke the spell. Willow and the  
trophy started glowing. Suddenly, there was a whirlpool of  
wind, and Faith was knocked to the ground. When she got  
back up she looked at Willow.   
  
Willow looked around in confusion. Her eyes were   
wide with fright. "Oh-ohmigod! Ohmigod!  
Wh-what...wh-ere?" She stared at Spike, then at Faith and  
then at   
Dawn. She didn't know any of them. She began to cry.   
Then she screamed.   
  
Faith looked at Spike. "It worked. We can let   
them down now...but...Willow is going to need a lot of  
help." She looked at her with concern. "She won't   
remember the life that Katherine Madison has been   
living. She'll remember that first few weeks, when Buffy   
first arrived."   
  
Willow was incoherently babbling on and looking  
around fearfully.   
  
Suddenly, someone rose up from the ground. It was  
Katherine Madison - a very pissed Katherine Madison.   
"You're going to pay for that!" she said to Faith. She  
threw the trophy at Faith and ran from the   
cavern. She had to regain her power.   
  
Faith ran after her, but she was gone. When she   
returned, Spike had unchained Willow and Dawn, and Dawn  
was holding Willow in an attempt to comfort her. Willow  
just cried and stared around at her unfamiliar  
surroundings.   
  
Faith looked at them. "Now...now we take her to   
Buffy."   
  
  
# 


	3. If The Shoo Fits

Chapter Three - If The Shoo Fits  
  
The first thing she ran into on her own walkway   
was the very large chest of a person that smelled  
strangely familiar. Large arms grabbed Buffy   
before she fell. There stood before her her ghost, her  
old dreams and wishes, her Heaven and Hell. The shock of  
old energy ran through her at his touch as he held her  
arms. Some things just never changed.   
  
"Angel."   
  
Angel, still dressed in his trademark, old, black  
leather coat, stood before her, not looking a day older  
than the first night, when she had knocked him on his  
derriere in that alley. No, something had changed. His   
expression wasn't as smug and self-assured. His chocolate,  
fathomless eyes danced with a nameless need.   
  
"Angel. I'm in a hurry...."   
  
"This will only take a minute, Buffy. Have you   
seen Faith?"   
  
"Wha-Look, I don't have time for this-"   
  
"Wait, her parole officer said she was coming   
here. Wesley got word from the Council that she was sent  
to finish up old business, in a good way. Why she didn't  
come to me first-"   
  
Buffy crossed her arms, took a deep breath and   
reined in old emotions as she took a step back.   
  
"The only communication I've had with Faith is a  
letter she sent me and I just got it today. She was  
asking me if she could come back to Sunnydale to work.  
Other than that, nothing. The only reason she didn't come  
to you was because she didn't want to work with Cordelia  
every day. I'm not being rude, but I've got to run.  
Dawn's been taken and so has Willow."  
  
The shock on Angel's face was apparent. "My god.   
Can I help? Do you know who's done it?"   
  
"I've got nothing but destroyed window treatments   
and an extremely upset Tara."   
  
Just then, the unmistakable sound of Spike's old   
car chugalugged up the street and stopped in front of the  
house. As the engine cut off, Spike's head popped from the  
driver's window, and he pulled himself out far enough to  
sit on the door itself. He lit a cigarette. The   
others piled out as he spoke.   
  
"Well, look, children! It's Rhett and Scarlett,   
back from Tara! So, when are you going to ask me if I give  
a damn, Peaches?"   
  
Before Angel could respond, Buffy caught sight of   
Dawn, followed by a frightened and confused Willow. She  
ran up to the car, closing the distance in less than a  
second.   
  
"My God, Dawnie! Are you hurt? Are you OK?" She   
grabbed her sister and hugged her tight, squeezing her  
eyes shut as relief flooded through her from head to   
toe.   
  
A very exasperated Dawn answered, "Buffy, I'm OK,   
really. I'm not the one that needs help. It's Willow. The  
real Willow."   
  
When her sister finally let her go, she caught sight  
of Angel and squealed. "Angel! Oh, my god! I need a  
massive hug!"   
  
As Dawn left her arms, Buffy finally zoned in on   
Willow. "Willow? Are you OK?" Somehow, Willow looked   
younger, standing there on her grass, looking lost.   
  
"H-hi, Buffy. Y-you look...older. Have you seen   
Xander? What year is it?"   
  
"What year?"   
  
Faith appeared behind Willow, her expression   
unreadable. "Hey, B. Sorry about the confusion. This here  
is Willow at 15. Remember when you told me about Amy  
Madison's evil-bitch mother? She's been walking around in  
Hotel Willow, while the real Willow was locked up in the  
cheerleader statue all this time. How 'bout everybody go  
inside, and we figure what to do   
next."   
  
Buffy realized she was staring at Willow and stopped.  
"Uh. Yeah. Go ahead. What to do next? What's going on?"  
She unconsciously put an arm around Willow as she turned  
her around toward the house, all the while   
keeping her attention on Faith.   
  
"Katherine Madison got away once we made the switch.  
She's one mean Dark Magic player, and she's going to be  
back."   
  
Buffy felt Angel behind her, listening to their   
conversation as they all made it back to the porch. Dawn  
made a beeline around them and headed into the house.   
  
"Why is she going to be back? Vengeance?" Angel   
asked.   
  
Faith looked back at him as she answered. "No.   
We had to have Dawn look like she was being kidnapped for  
the Katie/Willow so that she wouldn't figure it out. The  
spell we used to free Willow needed The Key. Good old  
Katy's going to realize who The Key really is and she's   
going to want it for herself."   
  
The old punch-in-the-gut-feeling washed over Buffy.  
"Not again."   
  
Spike finally worked his way out of his car and   
came up behind them, trailing cigarette smoke. He couldn't  
get around the group, so he made his   
own version of small talk.   
  
"Anybody gotta light? This fag's gonna burn up   
soon, and this is turnin' out to be a three-fag night." He  
intently stared at his cigarette as he followed them up  
the steps. The group turned around and stared at him.   
"What?"   
  
Angel smiled. It didn't reach his eyes. "Spike,   
stop showing your age."   
  
"What? Don't you all know what a bleedin' fag   
is? I've been fillin' up yer lungs for years wi' the  
smoke. And, I'm not as old as you are, Old Man."   
  
They left him standing on the porch, smoking the   
last dregs off his cigarette, as he watched them all  
through the picture window. "Nope, Peaches, nothing's  
changed."   
  
Two sets of ancient eyes watched from their porch   
as Spike finally went inside the Summers' house, slight  
smiles on their lips. The older gentleman turned to his  
wife of many years. "Do you think they'll figure it out,  
Sweetness?"   
  
The wife laid down her knitting as she contemplated  
her husband's question.   
  
"I think they will, Dearie. They seem to always to."  
Another car went by, and they both waved. The driver waved  
back with a vague smile on his lips.   
  
The husband shoved his glasses back onto the bridge  
of his nose and leaned back in his rocking chair.   
  
"I think the tall dark gentleman is going to be   
Mr. Savior this time, Love Bug. What do you think?"   
  
His Wife picked up her knitting and started   
working her wool again, her fingers deftly belying her  
age. "Oh, maybe, maybe. He hasn't been around for   
a while. But, you've got the two Slayers together   
again, and they both look pretty healthy." She glanced  
over the top of her glasses and caught sight of   
a figure hugging close to the big oak in front yard.   
  
"Oh, look, Sweetums, the next show is about to   
start. By the big oak tree."   
  
The husband looked over at the Summers yard and   
finally caught sight of the figure skulking in the  
shadows.   
  
"Aahh-haaa, you're right. Right on time. I'm   
going to go pop some popcorn, Honey. Would you like some,  
too?"   
  
The wife never missed a stitch. "Oh, yes, dear. Why  
don't you make us some of that lovely iced tea?"   
  
"You've got it. Be right back. Let me know if   
anything happens."  
  
"Of course, now hurry up. Shoo!"   
  
  
# 


	4. Gay? Who's Gay?

Chapter Four - Gay? Who's Gay?  
  
  
Andrew turned away from the Slayer's house and   
giggled in what could only be described as a girlish  
manner. The redhead in a body-switch scenario? This was  
just like that episode of "Star Trek: TNG"!" Or...wait...   
Maybe it was "Babylon 5." Aw, hell. It could have been  
"The Simpsons".   
  
He hunkered down further behind the oak tree and  
pulled a walkie-talkie from the clip on his belt. "Roger!   
Hey, Roger, are you there?"   
  
A moment of static followed before an irritated   
voice answered him.   
  
"Who the hell is Roger?"   
  
"I thought you said we were gonna do it like the  
Marines," he whined.   
  
"That's a disgusting proposition," Warren hissed.  
"And you don't call ME Roger, you idiot; you say it when  
you mean *O.K.*."   
  
"Oh. Well, anyway, I've got some news!" Andrew was  
nearly hopping with excitement. Something cool happened on  
HIS watch! Until they could get the secret cameras  
installed in the Slayer World, it usually fell to him or   
Jonathan to keep tabs on her. Warren, it seemed, was   
too busy "plotting her destruction" to do any grunt work.   
  
"And, were you planning on telling me anytime this  
century?" the leader drawled scathingly.   
  
"Yeah! O.K. I mean, *Roger*. Anyway, it turns out  
that the witch has been someone else all along! She's been  
body-snatched by Amy Madison's mother for the last five  
years!"   
  
"Why would Amy Madison's mother possess HER?"   
  
Andrew frowned and thought for a moment. "I don't  
know. They said she's a witch, too. An evil one,  
apparently. Anyway, she's on the loose."   
  
"Interesting... Maybe she can join up with us."  
Andrew could practically hear the cogs turning in his  
cohort's head. "Anything else?"   
  
"Yeah, and you're not gonna like it. That hot   
brunette they used to hang out with senior year is back.  
So is that older guy that used to work with the Slayer. I  
heard them call him Angel."   
  
"Damn," Warren swore. "All right. Head back in. We'll  
figure out what to do next."   
  
"Hey, Warren," Andrew began hesitantly, his eye   
drawn across the street.   
  
"What!" the grumpy leader demanded impatiently.   
  
"You know that old couple living across from the  
Slayer?"   
  
"What about them?"   
  
"I think the old chick's got the hots for me. She  
keeps waving at me." He waved back uncertainly. How weird.  
It was past midnight, and they were still sitting on their  
porch.   
  
"Andrew," Warren said in a patronizing tone, "you  
couldn't get a chick hot for you if you were Captain Kirk,  
and she was a green alien." And with that, he broke the  
connection on the walkie-talkie.   
  
"Buttpod," Andrew muttered under his breath. "He  
didn't even say, 'Over and out.' "   
  
  
# 


	5. Cold Double Meat Burgers

Chapter Five - Cold Double Meat Burgers   
  
Buffy stood in the entryway of her kitchen, her   
face screwed up in a frown. Typical Faith. The world goes  
monumentally screwy in a matter of minutes, and she heads  
for the fridge. HER fridge.   
  
"I didn't know the Pony Express was still in   
business."   
  
Faith's head appeared over the door, a leftover   
Double Meat fry protruding from her mouth. "Mhat?" She  
quickly swallowed.   
  
"Either that or your letter was rerouted for   
Anthrax inspection. I only got it tonight." She was Not  
Happy over this turn of events and wanted to confront her  
the moment they could be alone. She hadn't even given  
Faith permission to return -- let alone kidnap her sister   
and friend. Buffy still hadn't forgotten what she did the  
last time she had *visited*. She had driven a wedge  
between her and Riley with that body-switch -- granted,  
not the only wedge, but it had been big enough  
nonetheless.   
  
The brunette sighed and leaned her elbow on the   
door. "Couldn't be helped, B. I thought you'd have time to  
let the news sink in, but the Council wanted the  
Willow-switch taken care of yesterday. I hightailed it   
here as soon as I got my walking papers."   
  
Buffy raised an eyebrow. "But not before you stopped  
at Billy Bob's House of Slutty Clothes?" She eyed her  
rival's black leather pants and quite revealing red tank  
top to make her point.   
  
Faith grinned at her slyly and pulled out a hamburger  
from the fridge, unwrapping it as she spoke. "I know what  
you're thinking, B. But I didn't steal it. I gave a hooker  
my last fin in exchange for the threads."   
  
Buffy, not familiar with Boston slang, wondered   
how Faith managed to swipe a fish. "Well, it's good to see  
you're reformed," she muttered, her tone dripping with  
sarcasm. "Now what's this about the soon-to-be-slayed  
Council keeping my friend locked in a trophy?"   
  
"I'm not down with the 411," the other Slayer  
explained, attacking the hamburger with as much gusto as  
she did a demon. "God, I'm starved. Talk about prison  
reform! They should start with the food."   
  
"Faith..." Buffy said warningly.   
  
"Yeah, yeah. O.K., I know it's weird. I don't know  
much myself. It seems the Council's been keeping tabs on  
both of us. This old letch who called himself *Quentin*  
came to visit me and said he could get me released   
if I'd get rid of your little problem. He said they'd   
been watching Katie-in-Willow for a while, but her powers  
were growing too strong now, and she had to be stopped.  
Don't get me wrong; I'm not the Council's lackey --   
never have been -- but since I owe you a favor or two,   
I didn't tell Quentin to shove it." She disappeared back  
into the fridge to find some cola and wash down her  
dinner.   
  
"That bastard," Buffy muttered. "He didn't tell you  
how Willow got trapped instead of Katherine?" The more  
this nightmare unfolded, the clearer the memory of that  
day became. Willow. God, what she must have gone  
through. The fact that none of them could tell for five  
years -- that's what caused the fury and guilt to race  
through her veins. She was relieved, despite herself. Any  
emotion at all was good at that point.   
  
"Something about transferring herself to the weakest  
vessel at the last minute, and she and Xander were just  
outside the room. I'm surprised she didn't go for him if  
she was looking for weak." Faith's voice was muffled in  
the fridge.   
  
"You call Xander weak in my hearing again, and prison  
will seem like Candyland," Buffy ordered, her voice like a  
whip-crack. More quietly, she said, "Besides, he was good  
enough for you once."   
  
Xander's earlier slip-up hadn't fooled her.   
  
Not hearing the last comment, Faith finally emerged  
from the refrigerator and apologized about Xander before   
issuing a satisfied burp. She laughed at Buffy's  
disgusted expression. "I'd take that as a compliment,   
B." She quickly sobered. "But that's not important   
now. We've got a crazed hell-bitch with a jones for  
hurting you and Willow on the loose. We've gotta get Giles  
and figure something out."   
  
"Boy, have you missed a lot," Buffy murmured,   
quickly filling in her old rival before they rejoined  
Willow and Co.   
  
"All right, I called Xander and Anya like Buffy   
told me, and they're bringing Tara here," Dawn explained  
as she re-entered the living room. Since Faith had  
disappeared into the kitchen with Buffy hot on her heels,  
the teen now joined Angel and Spike as they stood staring  
at a frightened Willow on the couch.   
  
'Yeah, this won't unnerve her more,' Angel   
thought, looking to Spike and Dawn. The only one to have  
shared a similar experience, he took up the   
reins and approached the fragile redhead.   
  
"Willow? Do you remember what's happened to you?" He  
reached a tentative hand to her.   
  
She cringed away violently. This was a -- a   
MAN! A grown-up man! With grown-up man hands and grown-up  
man parts, speaking to HER! Her hands curled up in fists.  
"Aah, uh, oh," she squeaked.   
  
"Yeah, those are vowels all right," Spike declared,  
throwing himself into a nearby recliner. So, this was what  
Red was like at 15. He had to admit -- he liked the other  
one better. Oh yeah, she could have done a thing   
or two to him. And a lesbian? He loved that in a woman!   
  
"Wh-who are you all?" Willow said softly, on the  
verge of tears. Her gaze landed on Dawn, who seemed to be  
the least threatening of the three.   
  
The younger girl had settled daintily on the arm of   
Spike's recliner, her hair a shiny brown curtain around  
her face.   
  
"So those bleedin' monks didn't see fit to send   
The Key Newsletter to those living in statues. Amateurs."  
Spike shook his head.   
  
"Shut up, Spike," Angel ground out through clenched  
teeth. They had to handle this carefully. From what little  
he knew of the Willow of five years ago, she had been  
almost painfully shy. "I'm Angel, and that's Dawn   
and Spike. Dawn is Buffy's sister, and we're friends of  
her and Xander. well, except for Spike, who's  
unimportant."   
  
The blonde vampire growled in his grand-sire's  
direction, but Angel ignored it. From the few  
correspondences between Sunnydale and Wes and Cordy,   
he'd learned of Spike's integration with the Scoobies, but  
that didn't mean he had to accept it.   
  
"Buffy has a sister?" Willow asked, confused. "I --  
I don't understand." Her chin trembled, and a moment   
later, her face completely crumbled. She wept into her  
hands and was immediately taken into the embrace of Buffy,  
who had emerged from the kitchen with a well-fed Faith.   
  
"It's all right; it's all right," she cooed, stroking  
her friend's hair. Dawn looked on, a hint of jealousy and  
hurt on her face.   
  
Suddenly, the door slammed open. Buffy, Angel   
and Spike all instinctively jumped into a defensive  
fighting posture. Only Angel remained with his fists up  
when they saw it was Xander. Tara and Anya quickly   
followed him through the door.   
  
"Where is she?!" he demanded frantically, his eyes  
wild.   
  
When Willow saw her ex -- make that her current --  
crush, she issued a whimper and rushed into his arms, her  
fear of boys forgotten. She had only known Buffy for a   
week; Xander was the only truly familiar face. The   
only one who she could tell about the agonizing eternity  
she spent bound and restrained, helpless as she watched a  
multitude of people go by in a blurry haze. Her limbs and  
tongue still felt uncertain to her. Five years! They had  
said five years!   
  
"Xander, it's not like she was dead. She was merely  
held captive within a copper alloy monument for half a  
decade," Anya told him sternly, her arms crossed. She was  
trying to understand his actions, but she wondered if   
he would be as worried about her. What if she broke   
something? Like an arm or -- or a lamp? Would he rush to  
her rescue as quickly?   
  
"Yes, a walk in the park," Tara replied, her usual  
stutter disappearing in her anger at Anya's  
in-sensitivity. She was nearly in shock herself. From  
what Xander told her of Dawn's sketchy outline over the  
phone,   
she learned another person -- a BAD person -- had been   
inhabiting her Willow's body. It wasn't even her Willow  
anymore. How could she have fallen in love with someone  
evil? Tara suddenly wanted to take a shower and wash off  
the grime she felt covering her.   
  
"We don't have time for this." Faith's voice soared  
over the melee. She stood next to Angel in the center of  
the room.   
  
Buffy felt familiar jealousy rising within her but  
quickly stamped it down. She was going to have to talk to  
her ex soon.   
  
"She's not up for this now," Xander seethed, still  
clutching a terrified Willow. He felt like he was being  
visited by the Spirit of Willow Past. Scratch that. This  
was Willow AGAIN. FINALLY. His guilt was a tremendous  
thing. Of all the others -- even Tara -- HE should have  
known. He should have seen it. An uncharacteristic sob  
rose from deep within him as she buried her face in his  
chest. He didn't deserve her blind faith.   
  
"It doesn't matter," the corporeal Faith now told  
him. "We don't have much time. I can feel it, and I know  
B can too."   
  
Buffy nodded in assent, her hand on Willow's  
shoulder. "This woman is cracked. We need a plan. I'm   
thinking busting some heads?"   
  
"I agree," Xander muttered. "And after that, I'm  
writing a strongly worded letter to the Council."   
  
  
# 


	6. Here and There

Chapter Six - Here and There  
  
Buffy and Angel were hunkered outside of Amy  
Madison's house.   
  
"Are you sure Katherine will come after her  
daughter?" Angel whispered.   
  
"Yeah, trust me. I'm not sure if she'd want vengeance  
or help, but she'll come after Amy." She paused for a   
minute. "How's things in L.A.?"   
  
He pondered on that for a minute, "Very odd. How  
about here?"   
  
She sighed, "Not much better. On the plus side,   
though, I learned I can sing."   
  
Angel just stared.   
  
"Don't ask. It involved a demon, just don't ask."   
  
***   
  
"I don't know what's worse, I dated a guitar player,   
or that I'm gay. Am I gay?"   
  
Xander stared.. until he picked up on the old subtle   
Willow quasi-humor.   
  
"So much has happened.. I missed so much.."   
  
"I still don't know how I could have missed it. You   
discovered magic when Ms. Calendar died."   
  
"MS. CALENDAR'S DEAD?" Willow squeaked.   
  
"It doesn't get any better from there." Xander said   
sorrowfully.   
  
***   
  
"Heads up." Buffy whispered as a shadow separated  
from the rest lining the street. Katherine Madison stepped  
into the beam of a street light, still looking the same as  
she did the day she tried to send Buffy into some   
untold horrible place, and got her self stuck in a  
trophy...or inside Willow.   
  
Buffy stood up and stepped between Katherine and the   
house that was her intent. "So, we finally meet face   
to... real face. I get the fact that you have self-esteem  
issues, but I don't think body-jumping is really the  
cure."   
  
"Get out my way, child."  
  
"As much as I love a good family reunion, I still  
have to say no."   
  
"I don't have time for this!" With a little of the   
power she was able to bring with her from Willow's body  
during the switch, she blasted Buffy, sending her crashing  
into Angel, and made a break-away to the door   
that withheld her daughter and the power she possessed.   
  
# 


	7. More Ponderings

Chapter Seven - More Ponderings  
  
Faith was pacing along the Summers living room. "I  
should be there," she whined. "Why do Angel and B get to  
fight? I'm a Slayer too, and I'd be more help than Angel.  
Sure, he's a good fighter, but if this witch won't invite  
him in, B's gotta handle it on her own."   
  
"Slayer's got a point," Spike pointed out casually.  
"Not that I give a damn, but the ponce won't be much help  
if it goes inside." He didn't care in the least about  
whether Faith got her fighting fill or not, but he was  
always up for a chance to outsmart Angel.   
  
"Shut up, Spike! No one asked for your opinion,"  
Xander said, harshly. He knew he was being unfair,  
considering that Spike had, albeit reluctantly, agreed to  
stay in case of trouble. Despite that, he still annoyed  
him, and Xander couldn't help but get one last jibe in.  
"Besides, Angel's been a hell of a lot more help than you  
over the years." I'm defending Dead Boy? Oh, man, this is  
bad. Very bad.   
  
Spike opened his mouth to voice Xander's own  
thoughts, but shut it again as he saw Faith's face. He  
could probably take her, considering she'd spent the last  
three years in prison, but she was still a Slayer.  
Besides, he didn't want to get blood on his coat, nor a  
migraine. Anyway, killing her friends wasn't the best way  
to gain Buffy's affections. 'Well, crap', he realized.  
'Since when do I arrange my actions by what Buffy Summers  
would like? I'm evil. I don't take orders from anybody,  
especially the Slayer.'  
  
Faith continued pacing as Xander headed back to the  
kitchen where Willow was hiding out. From Spike, she  
thought, but maybe her as well. The second Slayer had  
taken quite a bit of explaining. Truth be told, she was  
feeling more than a little uncomfortable. Anya was  
scowling at the kitchen door, obviously sulking. Spike –  
well, she didn't really care what Spike thought of her.   
  
Dawn was clearly terrified of her, sitting very close  
to Tara, who was perched precariously on the edge of the  
couch. Dawn sat beside her, an arm around the woman who  
had mothered her for three months. During that time, Tara  
had been the one who made the lunches, and talked to her  
about her day. Willow – make that Katherine – had been so  
busy keeping everyone safe that Tara had really been the  
one to look after her. Willow was homework gal, though.  
Now, Willow didn't know who she was, and Tara was crying  
silently, her shoulders shaking as she imagined what  
Willow must have gone through. HER Willow. The Willow that  
she'd never actually met. She'd fallen in love with the  
person that Buffy was about to kill. Another sob shook the  
blonde Wiccan's delicate frame, and she leapt to her feet.  
  
  
"Go," Tara told Faith curtly, ignoring the startled  
stares that she received from the other Scoobies. "Help  
Buffy and Angel. Just – just don't let Buffy hurt her if  
you can help it." The brunette's eyes widened. "Go!" Tara  
snapped at her harshly. She didn't care that Dawn was  
staring at her in shock, or that Spike was eyeing her with  
something resembling a leer. All she knew was that she'd  
fallen in love with an amazing woman, who hadn't been in  
the least evil. That couldn't have all been an act.   
  
Could it? Tara put her face in her hands and sobbed  
as Anya patted her shoulder awkwardly, and Faith ran from  
the house, heading determinedly towards Amy Madison's  
house. Willow had given them the address earlier, managing  
to drag the memory from her confused brain.   
  
In the kitchen, Willow and Xander were talking  
quietly. Once informed of all that had occurred over the  
past five years, Willow appeared to have gone into shock,  
staring at the wall as Xander babbled endlessly.   
  
"Anyhow, the gay thing. I don't think I ever told  
you, I am totally fine with that. Tara's a great girl, and  
I'm really pleased for you. Will?"   
  
"Xander, I don't even know if I'm gay. I don't know  
the first thing about Tara, and she doesn't know anything  
about me. If she was as in love with the old me as you  
say, then she's in love with Katherine Madison. Me, I –  
I'm still in love with you."   
  
Xander froze. Oh boy. "Will, the thing is – I'm in  
love with Anya."   
  
"Oh, I know that," his best friend informed him  
casually. "I just thought I'd better tell you." She  
paused. "Did I tell you before?"   
  
He shook his head, and smiled. "No, Will. You didn't.  
I know now, though."   
  
  
******************************************   
  
Faith leapt over a bench as she headed towards the  
large house that Amy Madison and her father occupied.  
Adrenaline rushed through her, and not for the first time,  
she wondered if Buffy still got that 'high' when they were  
about to fight. It wasn't so much the fight that attracted  
her. It was the knowledge that what she was about to do,  
was her gift. She had lost that when she'd turned to the  
dark side, but when she'd been on the right side, fighting  
with Buffy, she'd known that she was doing what she was  
meant to do. She was the Slayer, and she saved the world.  
She had a purpose in life.   
  
So intent was Faith on her musings that she nearly  
missed the house. Cursing herself for her carelessness,  
she turned in at the gate, just in time to see the dark  
haired witch blast Buffy into the door.   
  
  
# 


	8. Away We Go

Chapter Eight - Away We Go  
  
Buffy was on her feet in an instant, executing a  
perfect back flip in order to land in front of Katherine.   
  
"Get Amy!" she shouted at Angel, who shrugged  
helplessly and gestured to the doorway. He was trapped by  
the invisible barrier. Faith – where had she come from? –  
had already realized this and was rushing towards the  
stairs.   
  
"Amy!" Buffy kept shouting her friend's name as she  
sent a roundhouse kick into Katherine, who was weakening.  
"I've got a bone to pick with you lady. What were you  
thinking, possessing my best friend? Talk about rudeness."  
She tried to head Katherine out the door so that Angel  
could help her, but the witch had already realized this,  
and jumped somewhat clumsily over the couch so that there  
was no danger of Buffy forcing her out the door.   
  
"You say that was rude? What about beating me up in  
my own house?" the elder woman grunted as she deflected a  
blow.   
  
'Of course', Buffy realized. Katherine's been in  
Willow's body and I taught Will – or Katherine – a fair  
few tricks over the years. It was scary. This was the  
woman who'd been her best friend over the past five years.  
The woman that had dated Oz and Tara. Aced Willow's SAT's  
for her.   
  
Buffy froze almost in midair, forcing herself to  
withdraw the leg she'd reflexively raised to send  
Katherine flying across the room. The dark-haired witch  
took the advantage and threw a nicely placed backhand to  
her opponent's face. As she did, Faith leapt over the  
stair-rail and hustled a white faced Amy down the stairs.   
  
"What are you doing?" Angel shouted from the door.  
The blonde Slayer's moves were completely defensive now as  
she tried not to hurt the witch.   
  
His ex-girlfriend deflected a punch and threw herself  
into a back flip to avoid a bolt of power, which blasted  
the couch out of existence.   
  
"This woman has been in Willow's body for five years,  
Angel," she told him grimly. "She restored your soul. She  
gave me a second – or third – chance at life. She turned  
Amy back from a rat. Whatever her intentions were, she's  
been the best friend I've ever had while she was in Willow  
and I, for one, don't want to hurt her."   
Buffy gulped and swiped at a sneaky tear that had escaped  
even as she caught Katherine's hand and flipped her onto  
her back. "I can't."   
  
Angel looked at Faith who was helping a shaken Amy to  
her feet. One of her mother's shots had caught her and  
she'd been flung into the wall. Faith caught the glance  
and shrugged. "Hey, don't look at me. I wasn't exactly  
nice to Red – but she wasn't Red at the time, so that's a  
bit better – but it's still not my right to decide what  
happens to her." Faith jerked her head towards Katherine,  
who was pinned to the floor by the blonde Slayer.   
  
Buffy caught the witch's hands in her own, holding  
them tightly so she couldn't cast. Katherine's face was  
white, her pallor enhanced by the black veins that stood  
out on her face. Her eyes were closed, but when they were  
open, that eerie blackness gave Buffy a major wiggins.   
"If you ask me, the only person that has the right to  
decide what happens to her is Red. It was her body, after  
all."   
  
'Geez,; Buffy thought grimly. 'It would be so much  
easier if I could just ignore her. Why does she have to  
make sense?'   
  
"Much as I hate to say it, Faith's right," Angel  
pointed out. Faith glared at him. "What? I said you were  
right." She muttered something unintelligible, but let him  
continue. "We can't kill her, at any rate. She's human,  
for one. Besides, Willow has the right to decide. I'm more  
worried about how she'll react. She's only known about  
you, Buffy, and the Hellmouth for a week, and she hasn't  
seen all of the things that we have. It's been Katherine  
fighting vampires and defeating hellgods all this time."   
  
"Which begs the question – why?" Buffy said grimly.  
She glanced at the only other witch in the room. "Amy, can  
you bind her powers until we reach my house?"   
  
Her friend nodded. "I think so. She's pretty weak.  
Willow's got all the power still. Not the knowledge, but  
the power." She finished a short incantation, during which  
Katherine wriggled violently under Buffy's firm grip and  
then fell still.   
  
Tentatively, Buffy raised herself off of the witch  
and gazed warily down at her. This was her best friend.   
  
Faith caught the look on her face, and gave her a  
casual glance. "Hey, B, you want me to..." she jerked her  
head towards the unconscious witch again. Curtly, Buffy  
nodded, and watched as the dark Slayer carelessly lifted  
Katherine into strong arms.   
  
"Homeward Bound," Buffy announced casually, slipping  
a supporting arm around Amy, who was exhausted from the  
effort of the spell, and tried not to think about how  
Xander would react to this new development.   
  
  
*****************************   
  
  
The old man turned to his wife as they watched the  
odd procession from their porch. "Do you think they've  
nearly got it, my dear?"   
  
"Maybe. Young people these days can be so blind. Now  
the Slayers in our day, they would have figured it all out  
a long time ago. That poor girl." The old lady sniffed  
and wiped away a tear as she thought of Katherine Madison  
and Willow Rosenberg.   
  
  
# 


	9. A Tangled Web

Chapter Nine - A Tangled Web  
  
Quentin Travers stepped through the back door of the  
small dwelling and walked through to the front of the  
house as if he owned it. He didn't but the Council did  
which was nearly the same thing.  
  
"What is happening?" he asked the couple on the front  
porch. He was careful not to step out of the shadow onto  
the porch itself in case he was seen  
  
"Ah. Mr. Travers good to see you again."  
  
"Don't turn around you old fool. What is happening at  
the Summers house?"  
  
"It's very interesting tonight," said the wife.  
  
"They came all came in about half an hour ago. There  
was a new face amongst the usual group and a few old faces  
we haven't seen in a while."  
  
"That nice big stupid looking boy was back. I've  
always liked him," said the wife mostly to herself.  
  
"What has happened since?"  
  
"Well, the house lights went off and the basement  
light went on. There was a young man in the bushes but he  
hurt himself trying to get over the fence and he went  
home."  
  
"Silly boy," tsk'd the old woman. Needs a girlfriend  
that boy does."  
  
"I will return soon. Keep watching."  
  
"You know we will Mr. Travers."  
  
"Popcorn Mr. Travers? It's rather good." The old man  
stretched out his arm only half as far as he could and  
retracted it as Quentin reached for the buttery snack. For  
a moment Quentin was fully visible in the doorway.  
  
"You're idiots!" he snapped angrily from the shadows  
and was gone.  
  
The old couple had a good cackle at his expense. He  
always fell for that one.   
  
"Well," the wife whispered to the husband, "I guess  
I'll go over and give the young ones a hand."  
  
  
**********************   
  
Everyone was gathered in the basement of the Summers  
basement. Buffy was holding court in the center of the  
room.  
  
In front of her on three plastic garden chairs were  
Katherine Madison, Willow and Dawn. Dawn had an arm around  
Willow and was comforting the freaked out young woman.  
Xander was sitting just to Buffy's right. Spike had hung  
round basically because this whole drama seemed to be  
amusing him terribly. He was pacing back and forth with a  
cigarette between his lips and a huge grin on his face.  
  
In the corner of the room at the bottom of the stairs  
Tara and Amy were standing almost shoulder-to-shoulder  
staring at the seated woman. Faith was reclining at the  
bottom of the steps up to the first floor eating an apple  
with a huge carving knife that was more usually used for  
cooked meats and not fruit.  
  
Angel completed the group. He was at the back of the  
room sitting on a bench. His back was against the wall and  
one foot was up on the work surface, he was mostly in  
shadow. Only the well-polished toe of one boot could be  
seen.   
  
Buffy had given him a look as they had filed into the  
basement. He could not tell exactly what it had been about  
nor what she wanted from him but the message that she had  
something on her mind she only wanted him in on was  
conveyed. He was trying to act relaxed but internally he  
was wound tight and ready for the slightest sign from  
Buffy.  
  
Buffy scraped her own chair across the floor and  
after turning it one hundred and eighty degrees sat down.  
She rested her elbows on the back of the seat and stared  
at the three women seated before her. No one said  
anything; they were waiting for the Slayer to speak first.  
She took her time.  
  
"Something here stinks," she said.  
  
"I don't know what it is yet, but we're not leaving  
this room until we've sorted it out. So, bear with me  
while I sort this out in my head."  
  
"Faith, you kidnapped Dawn and Willow under the  
Council's orders and brought them to Spikes crypt. There  
you performed a spell that released Katherine Madison from  
Willows body and released Willow from the statue she had  
been trapped in for the last five years. Now, before us we  
see a Willow who mentally hasn't aged one day. Since when  
did you start casting spells Faith? Take a couple of Wicca  
classes in the L.A. penitentiary?  
  
"Back off B. The Council gave me the spell and I  
didn't kidnap anyone. The council did it and brought them  
to me."  
  
"That's very interesting. Willow?"  
  
The young woman started. She shifted obviously being  
uncomfortable under everyone's gaze. "Yes?" She said.  
  
"So, you're the real Willow then. The Willow I knew  
for only a few weeks five years ago. That means that we  
all made friends with another person. Oz and Tara fell in  
love with someone completely different. Your mother in  
fact, Amy."  
  
"She managed to fool everyone when she pretended to  
be me," said Amy.  
  
"That's true, but we hardly knew you Amy. Xander, do  
you think you could have been fooled all these years?  
Don't you think you would have noticed any difference?"  
  
"I don't know," he said. "It's bothering me to think  
about it."  
  
"I think what you actually mean is that you don't buy  
it. You don't want to look and listen to Willow and think  
that she's not who she says she is, especially when she  
has been through what she says she has. You don't buy it.  
I can see it in your eyes.  
  
Xander looked at the ground.  
  
"Yeah. I don't buy that that wasn't Willow all these  
years. It could have happened."  
  
"But you don't buy it. So, who, or what, are you  
Willow?"  
  
Willow began to cry.  
  
"Buffy," said Dawn,. "Stop. She doesn't understand  
what's happening."  
  
"Shut up, Dawn."  
  
"Hey, Slayer, calm down."  
  
"Spike. I've only let you stay because you've been  
silent so far. Interrupt me again and I'm going to break  
your jaw."   
  
Willow was burbling uncontrollably now.   
  
"Tara. You've been very quiet. What do you make of  
all this?"  
  
"I..I…don't know. I..I…can't believe th…that that's  
not Wu…Willow. Did? Did I fall in love with th..the wrong  
p…person?"  
  
"Stammering a bit more than usual tonight, Tara. I  
think I would be happier if you went and stood behind  
Katherine, Willow and Dawn."  
  
"Buffy what's going on?" asked Dawn.  
  
"You tell ME what's going on whatever you are."  
  
"Slayer, go easy on the little one. I mean it."  
  
"What've you got on your mind, B?"  
  
"I'll tell you Faith. I can hardly believe I'm saying  
this, but you and Spike are two of the few people in this  
room I'm sure are not lying to me."  
  
Tara hadn't moved from beside Amy. "Tara, please  
stand where I told you."  
  
"W…why?"  
  
"Because, this all started when you phoned me to tell  
me that Willow had been kidnapped after shouting Dawn's  
name. Then the story moves to Faith who was brought Dawn  
and Willow to do the spell on by the council. She only had  
their word that it actually was Willow and Dawn and that  
the spell actually did what they said. Something happened  
before Faith got involved. Right Tara?"  
  
Tara glared at the Slayer. Moving faster than Faith  
could react she plucked the carving knife from Faith's  
hand and grabbing Amy by the shoulders put the knife to  
the witch's throat.  
  
Buffy didn't move one muscle. Angel withdrew the tip  
of his boot from the light and slipped completely into the  
dark.   
  
"This is just some distraction isn't it? Who, or  
what, in the hell are you four?" asked Buffy, indicating  
Katherine, Willow, Dawn and Tara. What the Hell are the  
Council doing with the real Willow, Tara and my sister?"  
  
No one spoke. Seconds later, the silence was broken  
by the doorbell.  
  
# 


	10. Unexpected Answers

Chapter Ten - Unexpected Answers  
  
  
With everyone's attention focused on Tara and the  
knife, Angel was able to move around behind her unnoticed.  
  
"I'm going to answer the door. No one move." Buffy  
rolled her eyes. "I can't believe I said that. This is  
sounding more like a bad movie every second."  
  
"H-hold on!" Tara demanded. "I don't like this.   
First Willow turns out not to be who I fell in love with,  
then you start accusing ME of-of being some-someone else!   
You just stay here! If you think the four-four of us are  
not us, then that means you guys are-are really the-the  
impostors!"  
  
Angel chose that moment to grab Tara from behind.   
After taking the knife from her, he let her go. "Buffy,  
go answer the door. We'll sort this out in a minute."  
  
Buffy headed up the stairs, unaware of a beady set of  
eyes watching through the basement window. She opened the  
front door to find the old lady from across the street  
standing there with a plate of cookies.  
  
"Hello, dear. Father and I couldn't help but notice  
all the activity going on here tonight." She pointed at  
her husband, still sitting on his front porch. When he  
saw Buffy looking at him, he raised his hand and waved at  
her.  
  
Buffy returned the gesture and apologized to the  
elderly woman. "I'm sorry, this isn't a real good time."  
  
"Oh, I know, dear. I just thought you could use my  
help."  
  
Buffy smiled. "Oh, I don't think you can really help  
us tonight. Thank you, though."  
  
Her neighbor smiled back. "Oh, honey, I think I can.  
Invite me in and just listen to what I have to say. If  
you don't find it interesting, at least I'll know that  
I've managed to piss off that damned Council."  
  
The Slayer's jaw dropped open. When she picked it  
up, she invited the woman in and led her downstairs.  
  
After explaining why she had let the lady in, she let  
the woman speak.  
  
"My name is...well, it's not important. I'm sure  
your Mister Giles would recognize the name, but he's not  
here, so it's not important. I used to be a Watcher. So  
was my husband, actually. We still do the odd job for the  
Council every now and then, when we get bored. Not long  
ago, that smarmy little man the have in charge now, that  
Travers boy, came and asked us to keep him informed of any  
activity around here. Naturally, we said yes, but not to  
help them. We just like inconveniencing them. They think  
they're so smart, but they still haven't figured us out,  
not even after all these years. It wasn't hard to find  
out what was happening here. I think now, though, that  
there is some tension here. Can I ask what's happening?"  
  
When she had gotten the latest in the story, she  
continued. "Oh, no children. You are all just who you  
think you are. There are no impostors here. It's all a  
part of that spell Faith cast. It released Willow and  
Katherine, but it also causes confusion and doubt. Oh,  
the Council knew what they were doing, alright. There  
purpose was to separate you young people. They feel like  
too many people know the secret, much less actually being  
a part of it. If you turn on each other now, they will  
have won."  
  
"So, what can we do?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Now that, I'm not sure. I know of a way to help  
Miss Willow there, but I don't know what it would do to  
the witch. The powerful one. I mean, Mrs Madison. There  
is a spell that can give Willow the memories of Katherine,  
but I'm not sure what would happen to Katherine if it is  
performed. The last time it was performed, the source of  
memories disappeared."  
  
"No." Both Buffy and Willow spoke the word.   
Everyone turned to Willow.  
  
"I won't be a part of it. I would love to know  
what's been going on the last five years, but I won't do  
to her what she did to me."  
  
"I have something to say." This time all eyes turned  
to Katherine Madison. "I never meant to do that to  
Willow. I tried to reverse it, but I was never able to.   
What if I had told you all what I did? After what I did  
to my own daughter, I surely couldn't expect you to help  
me. If I can make things right by giving Willow, the real  
Willow, my memories, I want to do it."  
  
"Yeah, right. Whatever."  
  
Katherine turned to Xander. "I understand why you  
feel that way. I was truly an evil person. I did  
horrible things. All these years in her body, though,  
"she said, pointing to Willow, "living with you people,  
it's made me care. It did something to me. I know you  
won't believe me, that you have no reason to, but it's  
true." She stopped and almost whispered the next words.   
"I love you guys. Well, most of you," she offered,  
looking at Spike with distaste. "I just want to make this  
right." She looked at the old lady. "What exactly will  
this spell do to Willow?"  
  
"Well, dear, it'll give her all the memories of  
everything you've gone through. As far as she's  
concerned, they will be her memories. She won't remember  
anything else."  
  
"And you don't know what'll happen to me?"  
  
"No. I'm sorry."  
  
"Ok. So, what do we do?"  
  
"It's simple. You do what you did the first time.   
You cast the spell that put you in Willow's body."  
  
"I can't. That would put me in someone else's body.   
I'm not doing that again."  
  
"No. Not this time. First of all, there are no weak  
people in this room. Second, I believe Tara can cast a  
counter-spell that will protect us all from absorbing your  
spirit, as it were."  
  
After a bit more discussion, it was decided.   
Everyone gathered around. Katherine picked up the trophy,  
just in case that was where she was going.  
  
Outside, the eyes kept watching. With glee, Warren  
started talking to himself. "This is great! I'll be able  
to use this spell to control the Slayer! Hell, I might  
just take her body for myself!"  
  
Back inside the room, the Tara and Katherine started  
speaking, each using their own spell. A bright light came  
from Katherine, traveled through the air, surrounded  
Willow, and disappeared. At that moment, Katherine's body  
disappeared.  
  
It was silent for a second. It was Willow who broke  
the silence. "What's going on? What're we doing here?"   
She looked at Tara. "What happened to, um, Craig  
Kilborne?"  
  
The elderly lady snuck out unnoticed as everyone  
tried to remember how they had all ended up in the  
basement, how Faith and Angel had ended up in Sunnydale.   
She walked back across the street and climbed the steps to  
the porch. She sat next to her husband.  
  
  
# 


	11. Bygones or Gone By?

Epilogue - Bygones or Gone By  
  
  
"Well, Mother, how did it go?"  
  
"It went well. It's undone. I can't wait to see  
Quentin's face when he finds out his plan fell apart  
somehow."  
  
The couple laughed together at the thought. They  
stopped when they noticed one of the young men from  
earlier in the evening approaching the porch.  
  
Warren knocked on the door and waited for permission  
to enter.  
  
The husband looked at the wife. She looked at him  
and nodded. "I feel it, too."  
  
"Can we help you, young man? Warren, isn't it?"  
  
Warren smiled. The biggest smile that had ever  
crossed his face. The most handsome smile. "I just  
wanted to thank you."  
  
"Thank us?"  
  
"Yes. For believing in me. For knowing I was  
telling the truth and telling them how to help Willow."  
  
A shocked look crossed the faces of the couple as  
they realized just who it was they were talking to. A  
small smile passed across the woman's lips/  
  
"The weakest vessel in the room. Or, outside it..."  
  
  
  
  
THE END 


End file.
